Easily Replaced
by The Clerik
Summary: Wheatley is completely in control of the Enrichment Center, and with nothing else to do, he decides to replace the only friend he's ever had. Or maybe she's more than that. Takes place during "The Fall".


Wheatley was in complete control of all of Aperture. He knew everything there was to know about it, and learning more all the time. He could feel every panel, every wiggling core, every chipper little turret, as though they were an extension of his own body. It was more power and knowledge than the tiny metal ball could have dreamt about in a thousand years.

"_**So why am I so bored?!"** _

Wheatley sighed in dejection, and swung his cradle across the Central AI Chamber, enjoying the feel of the air passing through the gaps of his chassis. As he had previously enjoyed over and over again for the last ten minutes.

"I just- GAH! You are k- you are _kidding me! _She always made being the big lord cock of this whole stupid place so much fun! I thought it'd be _exciting! _Or- er, I dunno, um, dangerous, but this is just- **_GAH! _**_**BLOODY HELL! **_**What am I going to do, juggle bloody cores?!"****_  
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The blue eyed orb sat in his appropriated cradle and swung around the Central AI Chamber like a petulant child. Anything going on in the chambers? No, empty and waiting. Turret production? Proceeding smoothly. Relaxation Vault? Already rebuilt.

Wheatley's frame clinched shut for a moment, before opening wide with a sigh.

He tried to find Chell again.

He didn't mean to hit her- or at least, he really hoped he didn't-but it was something about this chassis. It just made him so _big _and everything else is just _so small _and how could that _petulant little moron possibly think-_

Wheatley blinked. _Um. That was... not a pleasant line of thought. Let's just... shy away from... erm, that._

He needed to find her.

He needed to find her.

"... **_SO WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?!"_**

Wheatley's screaming plea echoed through the twisted halls of Aperture.

"How can you even be hiding?! _YOU ARE TINY! _Like- like- legitimately, outrageously tiny! Everything else is just wandering around being big and you're just like oh no how could you be trying to go about your business I'm just going to hide from you and being _**COMPLETELY BLOODY TINY!"**_

The Personality Core could only tense in frustration. No matter what he tried, he still couldn't find Chell.

_And why does it even matter to me?_

There was just something about the test subject that stuck in his mind, no matter how many times he tried to delete it. Admittedly, as a robot, human aesthetics were somewhat of a mystery, but he was starting to get the picture. Something about the power, and the determination, and the way that her eyes would glower every time she came close to solving a puzzle and oh, _if you would just look at me with that same kind of determination like I'm the only thing in the world that matters to you-_

Wheatley almost let out a gasp as he recoiled. That wasn't just a fantasy, he could _see it, _see the muscles running under her tanktop, see the way she bites her lip as she's thinking, the way she bounces from one foot to the other while she's waiting for the next puzzle- _When the hell have I ever been able to fantasize that well?!_

He started talking aloud to himself as he thought. "Am I psychic? Is that it? Am I- er, am I seeing her right now? _Am I magic?! _Or maybe GLaDOS has like some kind of personalized Chell AI running around in here, and she runs all kinds of tests on-"

The images of a Chell AI danced across Wheatley's mind, just as vivid as before. Slowly, Wheatley began to realize what was happening, and he cast a glance back to the wires and electronics suspending him from the ceiling.

"... I wonder what kind of technology the old maniac has in here for fantasies?"

If he had the facial muscles for it, Wheatley would have started grinning devilishly.

Without any functioning legs, Wheatley could only swing in place- a poor man's version of pacing back and forth- as he thought aloud. "This is _amazing! _This body is so bleeding smart, I can think so well, I can completely simulate the _things that I think about! **THAT'S SO MUCH THINKING! I AM FULL OF THINKING!"**_

After tensing up his core in concentration, the blue eyed core began to think about everything he ever used to fantasize.

A moment passed.

"... Well, now that I _could _have _every_thing, I can't think of freaking anything!"

A small cough sounded behind him, and Wheatley swiveled around in panic.

It was Chell, leaned up against a panel, tapping her feet against the ground impatiently. Her face was missing the look of contempt Wheatley was expecting, and instead wore an expression of slight bemusement.

"Oh, what, don't I count?"


End file.
